Spider-Man Brand New Day is looking to start a new trilogy of Tom Holland (The Odyssey 1.43:1 IMAX 70mm) web-slinging adventures, and given that its taken a staggering $1bn in just over its opening weekend, shows that’s a dead cert.
Peter Parker’s in a quandry, because for the last four years (it was 2024 back when the 2021 No Way Home came out, and now it’s 2028 when this 2026 movie is out… I think), he’s been carrying on with his Spidey senses tingling, lusting afar after MJ (Zendaya – The Drama, as well as The Odyssey), while seeing both her and former best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon – Novocaine).
Surprisingly, since all of them have graduated, none of them is in a decent job – although I don’t know where Peter gets his money from – and I’m sure MJ is just serving drinks in a cafe… well, except when she gets involved in the usual antics that come with this series.
To catch up, we’re shown a few random encounters of Spidey capturing various baddies, in conjunction with the cops – headed up by Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas – IF), a character I’ve not heard of before, so I kept thinking he was calling her “The Wolf”, and that she was about to help him quickly dispose of the body of a dead man in his car’s back seat, who’d had his brains go splat!
However, as well as being MJless and Nedless, he’s also Mayless, as his beloved aunt (Marisa Tomei) has been gone all this time and is not coming back, bar flashback scenes because Ms Tomei is hot AF!
The film also takes in a new baddie who’s ‘body-hopping’ from one to another, as if there’s an uncontrollable enemy that can’t be stopped, but who is it? And what what is the “V-Max” that they’re searching for? Is it like Betamax? No, that’s crazy talk.
This time round, the Avengers guest star is Mark Ruffalo (Crime 101) as the Hulk, although by day, he’s Dr Bruce Banner. Not sure how he explains his disappearance when he heads off to get involved in Peter’s situation, though. Who covers his lectures?
And why does he have to hide the fact that he’s Peter Parker to the rest of the Avengers, including Banner? Surely, if anyone can keep a secret, it’s them?!
Florence Pugh (Thunderbolts) has a rather pointless appearance as Black Widow, given that – because reasons – she lives in a bath house. Since Peter has to get in the bath with her – and naked – unsurprisingly HIS nipples are shown, but NOT her’s.
Along the way, Peter’s losing his ability to sling webs as a result of all his ongoing stress and heightened senses; and when he hears languages that he doesn’t speak, how come E.V. (his suit’s voice assistant, provided by Naomi Watts) doesn’t have a translation option?
He even goes to a party at MJ’s house and smirks at a Star Wars Chewbacca toy!
And probably the biggest laugh came at one point, when Ned exclaimed to MJ about Spider-Man, “I feel like he’s my best friend”.
A girl, aged about 8, from the voice I heard, called out from the back of the room: “You ARE his best friend!”
Spider-Man Brand New Day is long, but it’s very well-structured. Howwever, I thought I was going to enjoy this even more than I did, and give it 8.5/10, but around the two-hour mark, along came a completely pointless big fight scene that just extended the movie by around ten minutes, at a time when it should be heading towards its endgame. Less can be more.
Now, how about a big screen Punisher spin-off movie, with Jon Bernthal (ALSO The Odyssey!)? He and Spidey team up well, here!
NOTE: When I went to see this, I was planning for a 3D screening, but whereas that format isn’t normally as popular as regular ones, the screens for this one were RAMMED! As such, despite having a decent seat somewhere near the front, I realised just beforehand that I would’ve been swamped, so I changed to a 2D version in another room where I can almost always get a decent seat that’s rarely used, and I did.
In watching this for a second time, and in 3D – which was this particular reason, I know not to expect perfect quiet from kids during the summer holidays, but today, it was the adults and teens.
I got my central seat in my favourite row, but to my right was a family of five, who’d crammed into the third row of the screen – exactly where nobody else normally goes, as they always go further to the back. Behind me (and slightly to the left, as they adjoined the far end of that row) was another family of five. Two rows back was a group of three, including two teenage girls.
For the family to my right, the Dad was closest to me and thought nothing of leaving his text notifications on. I tried to get his attention to this matter, but (a) he clearly didn’t speak English, and (b) he was an ignorant motherfucker, as he would occasionally READ them! Albeit with his phone screen on dark.
Further down was the mother, who got her phone out – with the screen on bright white, around 30 mins into the film. After another 15 minutes, I realised she hadn’t just got it out to cehck the time, and was still using it. I leaned over and said, “Excuse me.” She looked up at me. I motioned her phone with my hand and said, “Can you… you’re lighting up the room.” – and she put it away.
For the family behind me and to my left, God knows what was going on with them, but while they all appeared sat down, and with the granny closest to me, occasionally it sounded like the floor was being thundered on – as if 4DX had been built in. I did ask them if someone was kicking the seat, but they seemed confused as anything. So, that was unexplained.
I also thought about going back two rows behind me, to avoid both families, but the teen girls were basically Gogglebox. And that would’ve been even MORE irritating.
Oh, and as for the 3D, it didn’t add a huge amount to the film, AND the screen was blurry AF, which has happened a few times, over the years. One example was in Venom: The Last Dance. I did mention it to a member of staff, but nothing changed. But then they’re clearly not bothered to replace the 3D filter on it.
Later, I saw this again, but on a 1.85:1 screen, which will be showing the intended IMAX ratio of 1.90:1. I wholly recommend THIS version. The entire film is opened up to that ratio, and all the action scenes are much better visibly. The 2.39:1 version crops so much top and bottom, including a scene where Spidey’s caught on a helicopter as it flies off, and either one were frequently getting cut off the top/bottom of the screen.
At times, it even felt like a whole new film in 1.90:1, since the 2.39:1 ends up badly-composed.
NOTE: There is a post-credits scene, as per below, as well as another video which has important information (but more spoilers!)
Spider-Man Brand New Day is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 145 minutes
Release date: July 29th 2026
Studio: Marvel
Aspect ratio: 1.90:1 (IMAX), 2.39:1 (ARRIRAW (6.5K, 4.6K) X-OCN XT (8.6K))
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 8/10
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Producers: Kevin Feige, Rachel O’Connor, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad
Writers: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers
Music: Michael Giacchino
Cast:
Peter Parker / Spider-Man: Tom Holland
MJ: Zendaya
Bruce Banner / Hulk: Mark Ruffalo
Frank Castle / Punisher: Jon Bernthal
Ned Leeds: Jacob Batalon
Yelena Belova / Black Widow: Florence Pugh
Detective Jean DeWolff: Liza Colón-Zayas
William ‘Bill’ Metzger: Tramell Tillman
May Parker: Marisa Tomei
E.V.: Naomi Watts
Mac Gargan / Scorpion: Michael Mando
Narrator of Spider Video: Keith David
Tombstone: Marvin Jones III
Sara: Olivia Booth-Ford
And one more…
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.